Roller-Based Expandable Display Mechanism for Mobile Terminals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile terminals with expandable screens face challenges in easily implementing hardware functions such as antennas and audio components while maintaining a compact form factor.
Innovation Solution
A mobile terminal design featuring a first frame, a second frame with a roller mechanism, a flexible display panel, and a driver system that allows the screen to expand from the front, while incorporating a side cover with variable width to accommodate antenna and audio components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If the screen is made expandable using a roller mechanism, then the display area is increased, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible display panel is wound around a roller disposed within the device housing, with the roller nested inside the frame structure. The side cover is configured to slide and nest within the housing, revealing the roller mechanism only when needed. This nesting approach allows the expandable display functionality to be contained within the compact device form factor without significantly increasing overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The display panel transitions from a static fixed-size screen to a dynamic expandable screen that can change its displayed area. The roller mechanism enables the display to dynamically adjust between a compact wound state and an expanded flat state, allowing the device to adapt its display area based on user needs while maintaining a consistent external form factor.
2Ease of manufacture
If the side cover width is made variable to accommodate hardware components, then the ease of manufacture improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The side cover is designed as a movable component that can slide along the housing in the third direction (width direction). This dynamic configuration allows the side cover width to be variable, enabling easier accommodation of different antenna and audio component arrangements during manufacturing while maintaining a sleek external appearance when closed. The movable side cover simplifies the manufacturing process by allowing flexibility in component placement without requiring complex internal structures.
3Area of moving object
If the second frame moves in the second direction, then the screen expansion is enabled, but the luminance difference and parallax become noticeable
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible display panel is designed with non-uniform properties along its length to compensate for the expansion mechanism. Specifically, the panel includes a first region closer to the roller and a second region farther from the roller, with different characteristics in these regions. This local quality variation allows the panel to maintain relatively uniform luminance output across the expanded display area despite the mechanical constraints of the roller-based expansion system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design enables efficient implementation of hardware functions by allowing the screen to expand, preventing user recognition of differences in luminance and parallax, and reducing deformation and fatigue on the display unit.
Implementation Method 1
a spiral spring connected to an end of the front portion in the second direction, unwound when the front portion moves in the first direction, and wound when the front portion moves in the second direction
Implementation Method 2
The spiral spring may be a constant force spring configured to provide a constant tension regardless of degree of unwinding
Data Source
AI summary
A mobile terminal according to an embodiment may comprise: a first frame; a second frame which comprises a third rear part provided on the rear surface of the first frame and movable in a first direction and a first roller provided at the end of the third rear part in the first direction; a flexible display panel which is provided to surround the first roller; a driving part for driving the second frame in the first direction or a second direction opposite to the first direction from the first frame; and a side cover which comprises a first plate extending in the second direction from both sides of the first roller and a second plate moving forward and backward on the first plate.